1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door weather strip for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a door weather strip attached along an outer periphery of a door panel of a rear door provided with a child lock lever hole.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many cases, a motor vehicle is provided with a child lock lever hole in a rear door for preventing a child on a rear seat from erroneously opening the rear door.
A (FIG. 1) child lock lever hole 4 is generally provided inside a rear upper portion A of a door panel 1 of a rear door.
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a lock lever 5 projects from the child lock lever hole 4. By setting the lever 5 at its locking position, the rear door is prevented from being opened even when a child erroneously operates an inside handle.
Meanwhile, a door weather strip 7 is attached along an outer periphery of the door panel 1 of the rear door for effecting a seal between the outer periphery of the door panel 1, and a door opening of a vehicle body. A molded end portion 72 is formed at an end of the door weather strip 7 for covering a corner of a rear upper end portion of the door panel 1 of the rear door. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 10 designates a door inner panel, 11 designates a door outer panel, 2 designates a trim covering the door inner panel 10, and 3 designates a door glass.
In the above-described conventional construction, the child lock lever hole 4 is formed in the rear upper end portion of the door inner panel 10 below the molded end portion 72. This construction makes the appearances of the door inner panel 10 look unrefined. Moreover, a label 6 indicating the manipulation method of the lock lever 5 is ordinarily adhered to the door inner panel 10 near the hole 4 thereby making the appearance of the entire rear upper end portion of the rear door look less simple.
Additionally, in order to cover an opening edge of the hole 4, in this construction, a ring-shaped protector 8 made of rubber or the like is attached thereto. However, this protector 8 does not serve to significantly improve the appearance of the rear upper end portion of the door panel 1.
FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate another conventional construction wherein the child lock lever hole 4 is formed in the door inner panel 10 below the molded end portion 72 of the door weather strip 7. And this hole 4 is covered with a film-shaped cover member 6 made of rubber or synthetic resin, which is fitted around an opening edge of the hole 4. A slit 42 is formed in the cover member 6, and a head portion of the lock lever 5 is projected from the slit 42 so as to be slidable therealong (Japanese unexamined utility model publication No. Sho57-80562).
This construction is advantageous in that rainwater and dust do not easily enter the child lock lever hole 4 when the rear door is opened, but the appearance of the rear upper end portion of the door panel 1 lacks simplicity and refinement. Additionally, the cover member 6 must be separately prepared and attached to the hole 4. These steps lower the work efficiency.